Turn up the Radio
by ishxallxgood
Summary: A collection of oneshot/drabble song fics surrounding Neji and Tenten. Shut up and dance, has been flushed out more. :)
1. Some Nights

_A/N: This will be a collection of oneshot/drabbly song fics surrounding Neji and Tenten._

 _First up; Some Nights by FUN._

* * *

Tenten shot back another glass of whiskey, the amber liquid slid down her throat, momentarily numbing that ache inside her heart.

She was having one of those days again, ever since Sakura ran into her shop announcing the good news. Yes, the news was good she supposed, but all it did was stab her through the heart and implant a pair of lavender eyes in her mind.

Every now and again she would allow herself to see his ghost again, every now and again she would allow herself to be consumed by her sorrow.

Tonight was one of those nights. She would allow herself to be overcome by her grief, and then she would wash it all away with a bottle of whiskey.

It was not fair, but then again this was life, and life was not fair. God knows how many years it has been, six? Eight? She had lost count. _Ten years, four months, twenty seven days, and twelve hours._ Well, no, she could never forget the day her heart was ripped from her chest.

She sighed. _Other people had experienced loss too_ , she thought to herself. Surely others have experience pain worse than hers. Take Shikamaru for example, he had to witness the death of his sensei all over again, not to mention have his father taken away from him right before his eyes too. _But he still had Temari_. She heard her hollow heart say.

"No." She exclaimed out loud, slamming the glass onto the table. This was about all the self pity she could take for one night. She was Tenten, and Tenten overcame. Snapping the white band around her wrist she fought back her tears and rose to leave.

Tonight she would just cash in her bad luck and go home alone. Tonight she would not need some martyr in her bed. Tonight she would sleep with her ghosts again.

The morning did not bring her much relief as his ghost still lingered, and she still questioned her life. What did she stand for? Why could she not move on? Who the heck wants to live with ghosts and die alone?

With a heavy heart she cast her sorrows aside and put on a happy face. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion, so she would play her part.

As she stood in the corner of the room she could almost feel her grief overwhelm her. All her friends were there. All her friends with their happy lives and happy families. All her friends with their better halves.

 _Well this is it guys_ , she thought. Five minutes was all she could do. They could never understand her pain. Ten years she lived with this devestating heartache. Ten years she lived watching them blossom, get married and have children. Ten years she lived with the ghosts in her closet.

"Tenten, come here." She heard Hinata's small voice say.

It was enough to draw her from her self imposed pity party. She slowly crossed the room and stood by the bed.

The next thing she knew a small tiny bundle was being pushed into her arms. "Say hello to your Aunt Tenten, Himawari." She heard his cousin say with knowing eyes.

Tenten felt her heart swell as she looked down at the tiny baby, just born the day before. As if she was responding to her mother's command, the little baby's eyes fluttered open and bore into Tenten's.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat as those beautiful lavender eyes stared into her. Here she was haunted by a pair of identical eyes. As she gazed down into those tiny eyes, the most amazing thing happened. All those years of pain and emptiness were filled instantly by those eyes, those shining eyes that she could have sworn were his.


	2. Shut up and Dance

_Shut up and Dance - Walk the moon_

* * *

Neji stood as far away from the dance floor as possible, wondering how in the world he had allowed his friends to convince him to come. Although the voice in the back of his head knowingly said _Tenten._

But Neji Hyuga did not dance.

So he stood there, as far away as possible, glaring at anybody who moved too close to his precious teammate. Yes, they were at a club. Yes, it was full of moving bodies. Yes, it was inevitable that someone would brush up against her. Yes, if he really wanted to prevent that he should just go over there.

But Neji Hyuga did not dance.

"NEJI-KUN!" an overly enthusiastic ninja bounced over to stoic figure, "YOU MUST COME PARTAKE IN THIS WONDERFUL EXERCISE OF RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT AND ENJOY YOUR SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!"

Neji could feel that vein above his temple throb as his _other_ teammate continued the assault on his ear drums. "No, Lee. I do not dance." He replied sternly, taking his eyes off the dance floor to glare at his sensei's mini clone.

Due to Lee's continued encouraging, Neji inadvertently let his guard down, and did not notice the hand grab his arm until it was too late. He was being pulled onto the dance floor by the one person who had the power to paralyze him with a single touch.

"What the hell" He exclaimed, attempting to break free from her grasp and return to the wall he was once standing at.

"Oh no you don't." She said with a smile, ignoring his outburst. "Just keep those eyes on me."

Instantly his attention was back on her, on those beautiful brown eyes, and that hair that she had finally let down. She did not have to tell him twice to keep his eyes on her, it was what he had been doing since they got there. In fact, it was what he had been doing for the past however many years.

As the music around them picked up, he could feel the bodies around them swaying to the beat of the bass. Stubbornly he stood there, as she hesitantly began to move with the music, glancing up at him every now and again.

"Hn, you're holding back." He observed.

Taking that as her cue that he was not going to make a break for it, she flashed him a devilish smile and she pressed her body up on his and said, "Shut up and dance with me.

That was all he needed. Sliding his hands down onto her hips he followed the sway of those hips and allowed his body to move to her rhythm.

Evidently, Neji Hyuga _did_ dance.

Dancing with Tenten came natural to him, dancing with Tenten was very much like sparring with Tenten. As the night pressed on, he had come to the conclusion that they were born to get together.

Entranced by the music and they sway of her hips, he felt a fire ignite within his chest. He had become a victim of the night, allowing the chemical, physical kyrptonite to render him powerless.

As the music slowed, she turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck she looked up at him, her big brown eyes bearing into his. Lost in her eyes he could see their future, and he realized that this was his last chance. Before he could change his mind he pressed his lips onto hers, thinking _this woman is my destiny._

As they broke apart Tenten buried her face in his neck and smirked.

Evidently, Neji Hyuga did dance.


	3. Like I'm gonna Lose You

_Like I'm gonna Lose You - Meghan Trainor ft John Legond_

 _A/N: This song was written for them. *tear*_

* * *

Tenten awoke abruptly from a deep sleep, tears streaming down her face. Shooting upright to a sitting position she felt the figure next to her move, relieved that it was all just a dream. Lying back down she rested her hand on his back, but she could still feel the stabbing pain in her heart as the dream slowly dissipated.

Slowly she closed her eyes and attempted to summon sleep again. Unfortunately once she closed her eyes, that ghastly scene came rolling back, _in the middle of the battlefield she saw him fall_. Snaking her arms around his chest she pulled herself closer to him, burying her face into his back reminding herself that he was still there.

Thoughts flooded into her mind, reminders that their time together was limited. That they were not promised tomorrow. For in the morning they would be setting out for war. Tonight was all they had, and she knew that, so she tightened the hold she had on him.

"Hn, Tenten." He said groggily, as her crushing hug pulled him from his sleep. "What time is it."

She shook her head, refusing to answer him. Time was inconsequential at the moment. All she knew was that the time they had was running out. So for what she had left, she was going to love him like she was losing him. She was going to hold him like they were saying good bye.

Grabbing her wrists he forced her to relax her hold and turned around to face her, enveloping her in his arms. Without saying a word he knew what she was thinking, as a part of him was thinking the same thing. There were no guarantees in war, in the blink of an eye, like a whisper of smoke, they could lose everything. So he pulled her close and planted his lips upon hers.

Tonight he was going to love her like he was going to lose her. Tonight he was not going to take her for granted. Tonight he was going to make the best of the time they had left.

"Neji," she whispered when they finally broke apart, her voice quivering, her heart still shaking from the thoughts of him disappearing from her arms.

"I know." He said softly, "Just remember that not matter what tomorrow brings, I will always be with you."

Soft whispers and stolen kisses, time stood still for them that night. They embraced each other with a fire and a passion, ever kiss, every touch, every word, resonated with the love they had. They left nothing to chance, knowing that tomorrow was not promised.

The morning light signaled the end of their time. Today was the day, their time was up. The minutes were gone, and all they were left with was one last, lingering kiss. With heavy hearts they parted, and as she met with her unit, she could not help but feel an uneasy sense of foreboding.


	4. Fight Song

_Fight Song - Rachel Platten_

* * *

Unraveling another scroll she unleashed a new flurry of weapons around the training field. It had been a long time since she had found the strength to come back here and train. But enough was enough and she refused to taint his memory any longer.

She was Tenten, and Tenten did not cower in the darkness looking to be saved.

No, Tenten fought.

Tenten did not hide in a corner and let the world beat her down.

No, Tenten overcame.

But how, a little voice inside her said, how was she supposed to overcome a hollow heart? How was she supposed to suppress that feeling that she could not breathe, that she was being crushed to death by the weight of his nonexistence. How was she supposed to train if she was lacking a training partner?

"No." She heard herself scream to the air. She refused to sulk anymore. It was time she took her life back. It was time she proved to her friends, but more to herself that she was alright. Starting right now she was going to be strong.

Lost in the pain of losing him, she had pushed all her other friends away. She had convinced herself that they could never understand the breadth of her pain. They had lost a teammate, a cousin, a comrade, a friend, but her, no she lost her best friend, her soulmate, her reason to live. No they could never understand, they still had each other, their hearts still beat whole within their chests.

For the past two years she had been living as a shell of her former self. For two years she had not been able to sleep. For two years every time she closed her eyes she would see him being impaled by the juubi's mokuton, sashiki no jutsu. For two years she pushed Gai-sensei's words out of her mind. For two years she had allowed herself to be so overcome by grief that she had forgotten those last words. For two years she's seen his ghost in everything she did, but refused to let him fill that gaping hole in her heart.

She had tried to rid herself of everything that reminded her of him that for two years she had just lived with the image of his death. When she had accidentally come across a photograph of them together, it was unsurprising to her that his smile would be the thing that gave her the strength to reclaim her life.

So here she stood now. In the very place that they had spent countless days together, breathing in his spirit, resurrecting her fighting spirit.

As she unsealed yet another scroll spraying its contents out so that they could join their brethren, she was suddenly caught off guard as their course was altered and they landed gently by her feet. Looking up, she half expected to see him there, the way he stood countless times after deflecting her attacks with his kaiten, but instead she was met by a pair of teal eyes and an opened tessen.

For two years she may have fallen in too deep. The depths of her despair knowing no bounds, but now she was back. She was back and ready to prove herself. She was back and now they could hear her fight song.


	5. Sugar

_Sugar - Maroon5_

* * *

It had been one week since she left for her mission and Neji found himself going insane. For the past seven days he did not know what to do with himself. Training was not the same, eating lunch was not the same, wandering the streets of the village was not the same, heck even sleeping was not the same. He was hurting, even if he did not let it show on his cool exterior, he was broken down inside.

The truth of the matter was, over the years he had grown accustomed to having her around, and over the past few months he had grown accustomed to _having_ her. Without her around he felt weak, like his very strength was being sapped from him. He did not want to move, getting up was difficult, dealing with the other two members of his team was even more difficult.

This was definitely not normal for him. He was Neji Hyuga. He did not have moments of weakness. He was the calm, stoic, strong one of the group. He was rational, and there was nothing rational about the we he felt right now. She was only gone for seven days, infact she was scheduled to be back today. So why was he so desperate? It was killing him, this need. Never in his life has he needed something the way he _needed_ her right now.

The thing that got to him the most was the fact that this was not the first time she had left on a mission without him. This was however, the first time she had left for a mission without him, and alone with one Kiba Inukuza. It was not that he did not trust that Kiba would be a good partner for her on this mission, it was that he did not trust Kiba. In fact, when she was not by his side he did not trust _anyone_ around her, especially someone like Kiba. Not that there was anything wrong with Kiba, he was an exceptional shinobi and an extremely loyal friend. It was that Kiba had a notoriety for being a flirt, and nobody was allowed to flirt with Tenten except him.

So here he was, pacing the streets of Konoha close enough to the front gates to catch them arriving, but far enough to not seem desperate. Oh but he was desperate. Desperate for her. Desperate to feel the touch of her skin, to taste those sugary lips of hers..

The moment she came into view of his Baykugan he felt an irrational rage overcome him. There was no good reason for him to be this livid. Well, besides the fact that _his_ Tenten was riding on top of Akamaru with Kiba behind her, and his filthy arms around her. It was unacceptable, nobody, and he meant _NOBODY_ was allowed to touch her except him.

Luckily he was far away enough to regain his composure before she made her way over to where he was waiting. Although his attempt was vain, considering the fact that although they were no longer perched on top of his mutt, Kiba had the audacity to drape his arm across her shoulders.

A sly smile spread on her lips as she caught his eye, and she made no attempt to remove the offending arm. She could read the desperation in his eyes as he attempted to reign in his emotions, that cold, stoic mask cracking just enough for her to know he was miserable. It was not that she enjoyed the fact that he was miserable, it was more that she appreciated the fact that he had missed her. Besides, invoking his irrational jealousy was a pastime of hers.

When she brushed by him and continued on her way past him and toward the Hokage's building, he knew that he would have to wait before he could claim her back from that dog boy. It irked him beyond belief that she was showing him absolutely no sympathy, but then again she was just being Tenten, and he loved everything about Tenten. Even the way she teased him.

So he found himself back at their training field, sitting under one of her favorite targets and falling back into one of his meditative states. He needed the meditation after seeing her with Kiba, but it was going to be alright. She was back, and it was only a matter until he would feel her against him again, and taste those sugary lips of hers.


	6. Perfect

_Perfect - Pink_

* * *

Although it had been a few months since her devastating defeat at the chunin exams, she could not help but still feel down about what happened. The people around her kept telling her that she did great, that it was not due to her lack of training or that she was incompetent. She did not believe them though, it was hard for her to believe them. So here she was, back at the training grounds, day in and day out, busting her butt so that she could hopefully get better. Unfortunately her training partner was none other than the prodigy himself, Mister Nejil Hyuga.

Training with him always made her feel inadequate. He was so perfect, so skilled, so proficient in everything he did. Even though he had recently recovered from the critical blows given to him by Kidōmaru she still could not keep up with him. It was discouraging, and after a particularly training session she found herself slumped defeatedly against one of her targets.

Neji frowned as Tenten situated herself at the base of the wooden stand. Without having her say a word he already knew what was going through her mind. It was the same thing every day since her match against Temari, and it broke his heart to see it. Sometimes he just wished she could see herself the way he saw her, perfect.

Sure, sometimes people looked down on her, but that was because they were mistaken. He knew better than anyone that she was a force to be reckoned with, yet people still constantly underestimated her. It was unfortunate, her match against the sand kunochi, she had miscalculated and did not realize that wind would be her downfall. There was no reason why she should beat herself up about it after all this time. He could tell that she was getting better everyday, she even got close to grazing him once today, but here she sat, defeated.

"Neji, why do I suck so bad?"

He blinked at her and gave her a disapproving grunt. He wanted to shake her, to tell her to snap out of it, that she should never, ever, feel like she's nothing, that she's anything except fucking perfect. But he could not find the courage to break down his walls and actually say that to her.

"Tenten," he finally said apprehensively, "I don't understand why you are always so hard on yourself. You are a skilled kunochi, who miscalculated once."

She let out a sigh and looked up at him as she fought back her tears. Miscalculated? More like she completely humiliated herself in front of everyone. Her, _miscalculation_ resulted in her total annihilation. She did not want to cry, not right now, not in front of Neji. "What good is skill if I can't even use it correctly?"

Her expression pained him, he really did not understand her reasoning. She was a vital part of their team, her aim was impeccable, and her reasoning sound. She was the glue that held their little team together. "You really need to stop beating yourself up over that. It was one time. You're improving more every day. You almost got a hit in on me today."

His words surprised her. They almost sounded like a compliment. " _Almost._ " She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He sighed and took a seat next to her. "Tenten," he said softly, "I've seen the things you are capable of, so please, stop this self imposed pity party."

She huffed and settled in next him. He was trying harder than usual to cheer her up, and she felt bad. Perhaps he did have a point, perhaps she was not as useless as she felt, but still it was hard pill for her to swallow. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I keep doing that to myself."

"It's okay." He said with a small smile. "I'll always be here to pull you out of whatever pit you're in."

"Thanks Neji."

"Hn." He grunted as he closed his eyes and leaned into the post.


	7. Cheerleader

_Cheerleader - Omi_

* * *

Neji stared at her as she flew into the air, scrolls out ready to go. Whenever he felt down about life and the cage he was placed in by destiny, all he ever needed was to look to her and he would feel free. As free as she looked flying so high up in the sky. There was just something about her that made his heart soar, ever since that first time she stood up and defended him.

Well, if he was being honest it was not so much defended him, more like went off on him when he started one of his rants about fate and destiny. She had firmly disagreed with him, even though he did not want to hear it, it was almost soothing to know that there was at least one person in his corner rooting for him.

After the first chunin exams and his release from his prior darkness, he worked harder than ever to ensure that he would never lose again. Tenten was the one constant by his side, encouraging him in every way, cheering him on, helping him perfect his techniques and defending the one place he could not see.

As time wore on, her voice was the only voice he needed to hear, just a single word from her could give him the strength to overcome the hardest obstacles. Which brought him to this day, to the point in his life that where she had become his Queen, his everything. So he just stood there in awe as she soared above him, entranced by her movements.

"NEJI!"

Her voice rang out around him which broke him from his reverie, and drew his attention to wave of kunai that was about to descend upon him. In the last possible moment, he completed his kaiten successfully deflected her weapons.

When the spinning subsided she landed softly in front of him and looked at him with eyes full of concern. "Are you okay? You've been really spacey all day."

He stared blankly at her as he suppressed the blood threatening to tint his cheeks. Yes, he had been spacey today, but that was mostly due to her. Due to the fact that it had been a few days since he had the luxury to train with her, but mainly because earlier that day when he was making his way through the village to go meet her he had run into a group of fangirls.

Normally he would not pay any mind to the fangirls, they always kept their distance, usually because Tenten was by his side. Evidently, seeing that Tenten had been away for the past couple of days due to a mission, they had decided that it was now or never to catch his attention. What they did not know was that Tenten had been on her way back, and he had been on his way to go and meet up with her.

Regardless, he would have wanted nothing to do with any of them anyway. Sure they were pretty, he was a very healthy teenaged boy, and he would be lying if he said that he did not find some of them tempting, but they were simply not what he wanted nor needed. He had everything he could ever want in a woman in Tenten. So naturally it was simple for him to reject them all and send them all on their way, because he had already found himself a cheerleader, and she was always right there when he needed her.

It was almost too easy for her to read him, and without waiting for his response she already knew what was on his mind. In a swift motion she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you too." She purred in his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

He could not help the smile the broke out across his face before he quickly planted his lips upon hers. He loved that she always openly displayed her love and affection. That with her there are no masks and cages, things he have come to know all too well. With her he could finally be himself, uninhibited and free.

When they finally broke apart she smiled knowingly at him and asked, "So how many fangirls were there?"

"Too many." He replied, pulling her into another kiss. "Have I ever mentioned you're the only girl for me?"


	8. Total Eclipse of the Heart

_A/N: I've been doing too many fluffy Neji alive POV's… sorry this one's going to be a downer… if you couldn't tell by the title._

 _Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler_

* * *

She was having one of those days again. One of those crazy unstable days where every where she turned she would catch a glimpse of his ghost. It was difficult for her to pinpoint what the trigger was this time, there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary that day. Last time she had found one of his shirts buried in her dresser, that led to a day of despair where she wandered the streets of Konoha chasing his ghost.

Every now and then she would get a little bit lonely, watching all her friends living out their perfect lives, knowing that he would never be coming around again. Every now and then she would get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of her tears, as she hugged herself to sleep at night. Every now and then she get a little bit terrified, as she wondered what she was doing with her life, clinging onto a ghost that would never fulfill her, as she let the best of all of her years slip by. Every now and then she would turn around and see those bright eyes of his, and every now and then she would fall apart.

It was supposed to be an ordinary day. There were no missions, no parties, no weddings, no funerals, no births, no birthdays, no nothing. Just a regular run of the mill day of training and taking inventory at the weapon's shop. Yet somehow, something about that day triggered her Neji sense, and it all went downhill from there.

Everywhere she turned that day it appeared as if he was there, except she only ever caught the sway of his hair before he dissipated before her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to get him to stay, or to turn around and reassure her with those bright eyes of his. It was all she ever wanted, to be safe inside the sphere of his Byakugan once again, but even his ghost eluded her.

When she finally collapsed onto her bed that night she could not conjure up those tears that have been threatening to spill the whole day. Instead she felt restless, helpless, and angry. All she wanted to do was go to sleep and dream of nothing, but she knew that her dreams that night would be something wild. She was half tempted to wrap that shirt she had found last time around her and pretend that she was tucked away, safe in his arms. Instead, she could only scream at him, threaten him, and release all those pent up emotions that she had kept so carefully locked away.

There were nights when she would curl up in a ball on her bed and just cry, smothered by all the darkness that surrounded here. Those were the nights she could almost feel him holding her tight as she slowly fell apart. Those were the nights when she would hold on to him forever, because she knew that together she could make it to the end of the line. That his love was like a shadow on her all the time. It was those nights that gave her the strength to fight another day.

She was at a loss that night and did not know what to do to escape the darkness. She could not help but feel like she was living in a powder keg and giving off sparks. She was ready to explode from all the pain and loneliness, she needed him that night. She needed him more than ever. She needed that brilliant light of his that gave her life meaning, but instead she was shrouded in the darkness, utterly lost and forever alone.

That night as she lied alone in her bed staring at that old team photo they took as genin, she was reminded that he would never become that boy he had wanted to be. That although he had ultimately given his life to fulfill his mission as a branch member, to Hinata safe, he had broken his promise to her, the promise to always be by her side. That night she tried to stay angry at him, she tried to hold onto that bitter feeling left inside her heart, but that night she was also reminded that he will always be the only boy who had ever wanted her just the way that she was. He never required her to be anyone but herself, and he loved her for all her quirks and inadequacies. That night she was reminded that there was no one in the universe who was as magical and wondrous as him. That night she was reminded that there will never be anyone better than him, that in all the years following his death she had yet to find someone who could complete her the way that he did. That there was nothing short of suicide she would not do to have him by her side again, and then she fell apart.

The tears finally came and cascaded down her face in waves as she wrapped herself up in her blankets. She knew it would break his heart to see her like that, to know that his memory invoked such grief. She knew he would have wanted to see her smile, laugh, be the cheerful uninhibited Tenten she had always been to him, but his death loomed over her, casting a dark shadow over her heart.

Once upon a time she was falling in love, and now she was only falling apart. His death permeated the depths of her heart, and there was nothing she could do but allow a total eclipse of her heart. Once upon a time he was the light in her life, but now all she could do was love him in the dark. His love was the only thing keeping her alive, and she knew that even though his physical presence was gone, his love was like a shadow on her all of the time.


	9. Smile - R5

_A/N: This is for teentitans2201999 who requested this song. This is not my usual style, but it seemed fitting for the song._

 _Smile - R5_

* * *

"Neji what are you doing here?"

"It's been a week Tenten, you have to come train."

"No."

"Come on Tenten open the door." He begged from outside her apartment.

"NO."

"Stop being like this."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Tenten," He said, his frustration mounting. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No I don't, so go away."

"Please Tenten." This was getting ridiculous, besides, there was no reason to for her to still be mad.

"Oh, since you said please…"

"Really?"

"No. Go away Neji."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Stop being so childish Tenten."

"You, know, it doesn't matter how many times you say my name, I'm still not coming out."

"Tenten, this is ridiculous."

"Your face is ridiculous."

"Really?" He asked incredulously. "That's the best you could come up with."

"Go away Neji."

"Not until you come out."

"No."

"I'll do anything."

" _Anything?_ "

"Anything. Just open the door."

"Run around my building naked."

"No."

"But you said anything."

"Tenten, please stop being ridiculous and come out already."

"No."

"Tenten, please come train with me."

"Go train with you new _fiance_."

He could not help but cringe at the word, and at the amount of venom she poured into it. "Tenten, I already told you, I got Hiashi to call it off."

"Go to- Wait what?"

"I got Hiashi to call it off."

"YOU DID NOT TELL ME THAT."

Neji frowned and cocked his head to the side. He was sure he had told her. "Really? I didn't mention that?"

"NEJI HYUGA I'M SO GOING TO KILL YOU."

And with the her door flew open and he was assaulted by a flurry of weapons. It did not matter to him though, he would endure all her attacks just to see her smile.

* * *

"Neji what are we doing here?"

"Buying you a new weapon?"

"But _why_?"

He stopped and looked over at her. "What do you mean why? You don't like weapons anymore?"

"No, I still love weapons. Why did you decided that I needed a new one?"

"To see you smile." He said before he could stop himself.

"What?"

"Thought you needed a little cheering up."

"I'm fine."

"Tenten." He said knowingly.

She let out a sigh, "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to bother you about it." She said as the tears began to well up in her eyes.

Ignoring the fact they were standing in the middle of the weapon store, he pulled her into his arms. There was nothing short of running around naked outside her house he would do to make her smile.

She melted against him and felt at weight on her shoulders lift, taking with it all the anxiety and strife she had been carrying for the past few weeks. "Thank you Neji."

"Anytime Tenten."

"So I can really pick anything?" She asked looking up at him, tears still swimming in her eyes.

"Anything."

And when he saw the smile that broke out across her face he knew that it was worth every penny.

* * *

"Neji what are you doing?"

"Trying to take your picture."

"I'm not in the mood for pictures."

"I know."

"Then why are you trying to take my picture?"

He shrugged. "So I can keep you in my pocket?"

"Really? That's the best you can up with?" She asked with a pointed look.

"What?" He said with a small smile. "I'm serious."

"You seriously want to take a picture of me so you can ' _keep me in your pocket_ '?"

"Yea, so I can save it for a rainy day."

"You're such a dork."

"So can I take your picture?"

As hard as she tried, she could not help the small smile that crept across her face. "Fine."


	10. Never Too Far

_Never Too Far - Mariah Carey_

 _A/N: I'm sorry that almost all Tenten POV chapters are super angsty and focus on Neji's death, and that only the Neji POV chapters get the light NejTen fluff that we all love.. It's just that whenever I hear a sad song I can't help but think about how she was robbed and then cry, and then write about her depression, and then cry as I write. I promise the next Tenten POV fic will be light and fluffy. :D_

* * *

"Tenten? Are you alright? You don't look very youthful."

The brown eyed girl broke from her trance and glanced toward her friend. "I'm sorry, Lee. Yes, I'm fine."

Rock Lee furrowed his big bushy brows in concern. The preoccupied expression on her face betrayed the words she just spoke, and he was quite certain that she was in fact, not fine. "Are you sure?"

Tenten took a deep breath and turned her attention to the rather subdued Rock Lee. "Yes I'm sure. I was just thinking."

"About Neji?" He immediately wanted to take his words back. The look of sorrow that flashed across her face broke the usually enthusiastic ninja's heart. It had been a little over two years since the conclusion of the war, and although he had come to terms with the fact that his best friend and eternal rival was gone, he knew that Tenten still has not fully embraced his death.

Every Tuesday for the past two years he had insisted that she come out to dinner with him, the way they all used to. Every Tuesday for the past two years she had arrived at the restaurant first and always requested a table for three. Every Tuesday for the past two years his heart broke a little more as he dined with the shell of his remaining teammate and the ghost of his former friend.

She did not offer him a response, but she did glance at the empty table setting to her right with a small sad smile on her lips. He was not there anymore and had not been for a very long him now, at least not in his physical form, but she knew without a doubt that he was sitting there next to her. She knew that he was never too far away, that he would always be there with her. Especially here, on Tuesday nights, because this place in time, still belonged to them, and would forever stay preserved in her mind. In her memories she found solace, and she wanted more than anything to talk to Lee about it, about him, about their time together, but it was all still too painful, so she just held it in.

"I'm sorry." He offered, dejected. Once again, their weekly dinners fell into an awkward realm of silence. He hated it, the silence which he found deafening. He longed for the laughter of his friends, for Neji's horrible jokes and Tenten's witty retorts, for a time when the shadow of his ghost did not dine with them.

All he wanted was one night a week to reminisce about the best times of their lives together. To really live in the spirit of Neji's memory, to keep him alive through their youthful laughter, but he was not sure if Tenten would ever really be up for it. After all this time she still held Neji at bay, unable to fully live in his memory and find the joy he gave them, instead allowing that hollow feeling to linger around them.

"No, I'm sorry Lee." She said as she stabbed absently at a dumpling. She really needed to stop ordering enough for food for three people, but it just felt wrong to leave him out. Even though she knew full well that ghosts were incapable of eating, and that she was being ridiculous. She also knew he would hate that she was acting like this, that she was allowing his physical absence to rob her of the pleasure she took in having these weekly dinners with her team, with Lee. She let out a sigh as she felt those incandescent eyes of his bearing down on her, telling her that Lee was trying his best for her, but she already knew that. She knew how hard this was for Lee, that although he had managed to piece his heart back together it was still broken, and that he mended it every week only to have her shatter it again.

"No, no, don't be. I shall do five thousand laps around the village as punishment for making our youthful flower melancholy." He did not dare to mention it was also in honor of Neji's memory. He wanted to though, he wanted to scream Neji's name at the top of his lungs. He hated that mentioning Neji around Tenten was almost taboo, that he was once again unsuccessful at his attempt to revel in the memory of his dearest friend.

"Lee, you know that's unnecessary. Really, I'm fine." She said as she offered him a still small smile.

"No Tenten, I must. And as proof of my commitment to you, I shall do the laps on my hands."

She could almost see the way Neji would bow his head and scoff quietly to her whenever Lee made outrageous declarations like that. She could almost hear the nonsensical comment he would make in response to Lee's outburst. She could almost feel a genuine smile form on her lips as she finally came to the realization that this, _this_ is what Lee was trying to coax out of her for the past two years.

Yes, her heart was still broken, there was not fixing that, but this time she had with Lee, although it would never take the place of actually having Neji with them, was their opportunity to keep him close to them. That this place in time that will _always_ belong to them, and to all of them, not just her and Neji, but Lee too, and she had spent far too long keeping him out.

"Lee," she said as the tears threatened to flow from her eyes. "I'm so sorry Lee."

"Hm?" He asked, dropping the notion doing his laps around the village.

"I…" she choked, unable to stop the tears from flowing. "I'm so sorry."

She did not need to say anything else for him to understand. Her tears spoke volumes and his heart swelled. This was the moment he had been waiting for for the past two years. "OH TENTEN!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms around her.

"Ne-" she sobbed, unable to properly voice his name. No, nobody could ever take Neji's place. Not Rock Lee, not any of their other friends, not even Neji's own ghost, but she had finally learned in that moment that although they could never be, as long as she was able to remember their love, he would never be too far away.


	11. When We Were Young

_When we were young - Adele_

 _A/N: Ah so I broke my promise... but every time I hear this song I can't help but think about Tenten and how she was robbed._

* * *

Tenten absently swirled her beer as she stared across the room at the young Hyuga laughing with his friends. She was lost somewhere between a daydream and a memory, as long forgotten feelings began to surface, clouding her thoughts.

It was strange, watching him, for all she could tell the whole room was focused on him. There was just something about him, about the way he talked, the way he moved, that made him seem like a dream come true.

How long has it been since she felt this way? Since she had felt so at home in this godforsaken place. Years. Long before the war started and ended, long before he went so very far away. It took all she had left inside her to function without him, without his beautiful smile. Everything in her life took her back to those times when he was there, to when they were young. She knew it was silly, to keep holding on, on to the hopes that maybe, just maybe, he was not really gone.

She was lost, bitter, and quite frankly, scared. She was afraid of what all those lost years had really meant to them. Afraid that he would not remember her, that perhaps she had already lost him forever. Quickly she downed the rest of her beer and requested a new one. She would need all the alcohol she could get her hands on in order to face her fears and conjure up the courage to approach him.

It was hard for her to remember what was said when he left her. Over the years the details have become fuzzy, perhaps because she had tried so hard to forget. She could have swore he had said something about moving overseas, but then again it could just be her memory playing games with her again.

By the time the last call bell rung, she had forgotten why she was there. For the moment her world consisted only of him, so she slipped off the stool and slowly made her way over to him.

"Excuse me," she started, her head swimming with alcohol and forgotten memories. "If by chance you're here alone, can I have a moment? Before I go?"

Pale eyes looked quizzically into hers, and gave her a small smile. It was not much of a smile, but she took it as affirmation, which encouraged her to continue.

"You see I've been sitting here by myself all night long, hoping you were someone I used to know." Warm memories washed over her and she could feel the tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "You look like a movie, you sound like a song, my God you remind me, of when we were young."

There was something about the inebriated girl in front of him that just broke his heart. It was clear to him that she was so desperately holding on that he was not even sure what to say. He was pretty sure that there were no words in this world enough to comfort her soul.

"Um, Tenten?"

The small voice behind him broke her from her drunken reverie and for the first time that evening she noticed someone other than him. "Oh Hinata." She said smiling sadly at her friend. "You did not tell me he would be here."

"Who?" The soft spoken girl asked curiously.

"Your cousin."

Those two words washed over Hinata and she felt her heart shatter once more. Oh how she longed to have the right words to say to the broken kunochi before her, but all words escaped her for the moment and all she could do was smile sadly. "Oh, Tenten." She said tenderly.

"It's hard to admit it," Tenten said, as she shifted her attention back toward Hinata's cousin. "but everything just takes me back to when you were there. And a part of me keeps holding on, just incase it hasn't gone, because I still care. Do you still care?"

Hinata's furrowed her brow as Tenten continued with her drunken prattle. She was never really good at navigating these situations, and a part of her was tempted to simply let Tenten continue on in her delusion, but she knew better than to do that.

"Tenten, can I have a word with you?" The timid girl asked, pulling at the girl's sleeve as she sent her confused cousin a silent apology.

Reluctantly Tenten allowed Hinata to pull her away, when all she wanted to do in that moment was photograph him in the light just incase this was the last time that they might be like this.

Hinata let out a long sigh and mentally prepared herself for what she was about to say next. "Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but that's not Neji-niisan..." she said softly, as she held back her own tears.

It took longer than it should have for Tenten to fully comprehend the meaning behind those words, and Hinata watched with tear lidden eyes as the understanding slowly dawned upon her friend's inebriated face.

Tenten always hated this part of the night, the part when the daydreams end and reality sets in. This was the first time in a long time that she had allowed her delusions to go this far, but for a moment she was truly convinced that it was him.

As the tears trickled down her face, she took one last look at the young, and very confused Hyuga before allowing Hinata to embrace her as a sob escaped her lips. "I'm so mad I'm getting old, it makes me reckless… but it was just like a movie, it was just like a song… when we were young."


End file.
